Roma ready to take off

Spalletti: Wants enthusiasm

Roma coach Luciano Spalletti believes his side's opening Champions League win in Bordeaux could ignite their season.

The Italians have endured a sluggish start to their domestic campaign and were staring at a second successive defeat in Europe until three second-half goals swept aside ten-man Bordeaux.

"When you win it's the best medicine to recreate enthusiasm. We need enthusiasm.

"This can be a match that gives us a tonic," said Spalletti after goals from birthday boys Mirko Vucinic and Julio Baptista, two, had secured a 3-1 victory.

He added: "It was a difficult match. In the first half Bordeaux were good on the ground and we had problems. I liked the reaction we had in the second half."

Birthday

After Bordeaux, who led through Yoann Gourcuff's early goal, had been reduced to ten men with Henrique's dismissal, Vucinic levelled on his 25th birthday and Baptista came off the bench following injury to mark his 27th birthday with the two clinching goals.

"He has quality. He has physical strength and surely these two goals will be important for him," Spalletti told Sky Italia.

Roma are still third in Group A after Chelsea and CFR Cluj drew 0-0 in Romania but Spalletti's side are back in contention for qualification if they can gain revenge against Cluj for an opening day defeat and better their results elsewhere.

"They are a strong side and we must go there to obtain a positive result on their ground," added Spalletti, whose side first faces a double-header against Chelsea.